Alan Henning: Friends beg IS to show 'compassion' as last known video released

British hostage Alan Henning is praised as a "massive inspiration" by his fellow aid workers in the last video shot before he was kidnapped by Islamic State militants.

Father-of-two Mr Henning, 47, says his sacrifices in trying to help victims of the Syrian civil war are "all worthwhile" as he is shown dining with friends in Turkey on Christmas Day 2013.

The next day, the Manchester taxi driver was kidnapped by IS fanatics on Turkey's border with Syria.

Hostage: Alan Henning, left, with fellow aid workers

His life is now thought to be in the hands of the savage murderers who murdered another British aid worker, David Haines, and released a video carrying a direct threat on Mr Henning's life.

The footage, obtained by Channel 4 News, was released as his friends issued a heartfelt appeal to IS to spare him.

Mr Henning, who was nicknamed 'Gadget' by his friends, says in the video: "It’s all worthwhile when you see what is needed actually get to where it needs to go. That makes it all worthwhile.

"No sacrifice we do is nothing compared to what they’re going through every day on a daily basis.”

A friend filmed dining with him the the fast food restaurant says: "I just want to say Gadget, you’re a soldier, a massive, massive inspiration, you know what I mean.

"People who are not even getting involved in this type of aid work, you know what, don’t look at us, look at Gadget...because you know what day it is for him? It’s Christmas. … It’s priceless, I’m telling you it’s priceless."